The invention relates generally to the field of well completions, and more particularly to techniques for providing and securing control lines to completion or production strings during deployment in a well.
Following drilling of oil and gas wells, completion strings are typically placed and cemented into a well for production of fluids from one or more production horizons from which they are raised to the Earth's surface for further processing. In many cases small tubing lines and conduits, electrical wiring and other conductors are associated with the completion string to perform various operations, such as sensing downhole parameters, opening and closing valves, permitting closing in of the well, injection of various chemicals, and so forth. Such lines, conduits and conductors are commonly referred to as “control lines”, and one or many may be provided with any particular well.
There are a number of methods known for deploying control lines with tubes and piping lowered into wells. For example, various clamps may be placed over the control lines and at least a part of the piping to anchor the control lines to the outside of the piping. “Slips”, “spiders” or some other support device is sometimes used to hole the piping during attachment of the control lines. In one particular arrangement that has proven particularly useful, clamps or straps are applied fasten the control lines to the piping in a space between a rig floor and an entry to the well.
There still exists a need for further refinement in techniques for attachment of control lines to completion strings that may offer alternatives and advantages over known approaches. There is a particular need for techniques that may reduce or eliminate the need for clamps and bands, and reduce the need for operations personnel to place or monitor placement of such devices.